Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Western Shoshone walks across America for Diabetes Awareness

Carl 'Bad Bear' Sampson, Western Shoshone, stands before the US Capitol on Tuesday afternoon, and at the Whtie House and National Monument on Wednesday, as the Renegade Walkers for Diabetes reached their destination. Sampson left Oregon in February and walked across America for diabetes awareness in Indian country.

Trekking through snow in the northwest, the walkers and runners brought their message of exercise and healthy eating across the continent, visiting Indian Nations in Oregon, Idaho, Montana, South Dakota, North Dakota, Minn., Wisconsin and Michigan.

The Renegade Walkers of the Long Walk 3 for the Reversal of Diabetes are Sampson, Manny Calapoo from Warm Springs, Oregon; Lisa Peake, Ojibwe/Pomo and T-Hawk, Mohawk Tongan.

Sampson and Peake both walked across America in 2008 on the Long Walk 2 northern route, when both were in their 20s, for the protection of Mother Earth and Indigenous rights.